22 Most Dangerous Cooking Techniques

Each year, an average 172,900 fires start due to a cooking mishaps.⁽⁸⁾ Some cooking techniques are firestarters, so whether you’re an experienced cook or a novice taking a stab at it during the holidays, it’s good to know that you’re covered by homeowners insurance or renters insurance before you turn up the heat.

Fires are not the only hazard when it comes to cooking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food-related illnesses cause roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths in the United States each year.⁽¹⁴⁾ Not only does meat need to be cooked at the appropriate temperatures, but cutting boards and utensils must be handled properly to prevent cross-contamination of microbes. If you accidentally food poison guests, it’s good to know that their medical expenses will likely be covered by both home and renters insurance, but not for household members.

If you’re wondering what types of cooking techniques are responsible for the biggest disasters, from starting fires and making people sick to cutting off fingers or burning flesh, here they are. You’ve been warned!

1. Deep Frying (Especially a Turkey)

Every Thanksgiving there are many house fires caused by deep frying turkey, usually frozen ones. FEMA suggests using a specific Turkey deep fryer for your roast and thawing the bird before frying. It’s also best to do this type of cooking outside while keeping the fryer at least 10 feet away from the home, on a stable and level surface and not below roof eaves.⁽¹⁾

However, any type of deep frying is a dangerous technique unless the cook is careful. To avoid fires, don’t fill the fryer with oil to the top, because after submerging whatever food you’re frying, the oil will splatter and cause a grease fire.

It’s important to always use a thermometer to monitor the oil’s temperature. If oil gets too hot, it’ll erupt into flames, so keep a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.

2. Slow Cooking

Certain foods will not reach the high temperatures needed to be safe for ingesting. It’s not just meat either. Kidney beans, for instance, need higher temperatures to kill off toxins. Always look up recipes from the most reputable cooking websites or cookbooks and follow directions.

For instance, thawing raw, frozen meat before slow cooking is most important. Otherwise, the meat will be cooked at unsafe temperatures and will become poisonous. Most slow cookers reach temperatures between 170° and 280° which are sometimes not enough to thaw and properly cook frozen vegetables either.

3. Braising

Braising is a great way to tenderize the toughest pieces of meat and even requires tougher cuts. However, much like a slow cooker, this cooking method requires cooking the meat at lower temperatures over a longer period of time. Once again, starting with frozen meat is a bad idea, especially if you’re cooking for longer periods of time at temperatures around 250 degrees (this is sometimes too low for some ovens). Make sure the meat you’re braising is thawed in a refrigerator, which may require taking it out of the freezer and leaving it in the fridge overnight.

4. Stewing

Once again, the whole process of stewing is reliant on cooking at lower temperatures for long periods of time. If the person doing the stewing is not heating at high-enough temperatures, they may spread bacteria growth and cause food poisoning.

5. Sous Vide Cooking

The trending sous vide process of cooking involves immersing food in plastic into boiling-hot water. Unfortunately, the plastic, BPA and other chemicals you don’t want to ingest may leach into the food you’re cooking.

One recommendation is to skip the plastic and put the food in glass containers by tightly packing it all in so that it will cook from the bath water’s heat. Make sure the temperature is high enough to cook the food, not enable bacteria formation.

6. Grilling, Charbroiling or Barbecuing

When grilling or barbecuing at high temperatures, carcinogenic compounds like heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can form on charred foods. High levels of carbon monoxide and other gasses are also emitted during the charbroiling process.

Also, cross contamination has a high probability during outdoor cooking, unless the grill chef is very diligent about not letting any utensil that touches raw meat touch a food being picked up and plated. Shared cutting boards can also cause cross contamination.

On the flipside of charring, grilling often leads to guests serving undercooked meat, so make sure the guests who ask for their meat rare don’t end up getting sick. Lightly grilling red meat can be dangerous, if the rare parts of the meat do not reach at least 120 degrees for steaks and 160 for hamburger meat. Use a thermometer to be sure!

7. Cutting Food in Your Hand

It’s important to place food on a hard and stable surface before cutting or peeling any food, including but not limited to avocados, apples and potatoes. There’s no sense in being bold when it comes to cutting. Just place the food on a cutting board instead.

8. Microwaving

Microwaving food is safe for the most part because microwave radiation does not make food radioactive or alter its chemical composition. It also does not compromise nutritional value, compared with a conventional oven. However, a broken or somehow altered microwave oven can be dangerous and cause burns or cataracts.⁽²⁾

One way that microwaving food is dangerous is uneven cooking. It’s one thing to use a microwave to quickly heat up foods or cook foods that are meant to be microwaved, but cooking raw meat may be tricky, leaving parts of the food uncooked. This is because microwaves heat the outside of the food, and the inside gets heated through heat conduction from the outer layers.⁽³⁾

Also people often microwave in plastic containers not intended for microwave cooking, which release harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates into the food. Metal pans and aluminum pans and foil should also not be used in a microwave oven. They can compromise the safety of the oven, and will reflect the microwaves, leaving food uncooked.

Another way microwave cooking can be dangerous is that it can overheat liquids past the boiling point. When that happens, adding in a simple ingredient can cause the liquid to erupt and cause burns. So, if you’re making instant coffee, the trick is to put the coffee in before heating so it doesn’t become volcanic. It’s also never safe to use a microwave oven that operates with the door open. A microwave that does this should be tossed for safety reasons, even if it seems to heat food well.

9. Using Non-stick Pans With Scratches

Scratched up teflon pans can emit microplastic particles and PFAS that will get into your food. These chemicals are linked to liver disease and kidney cancer. According to The New York Times, newer pans made after 2014 have safer PFAS, but you may want to buy alternative types of pans, just in case, such as those made with cast iron or carbon steel.⁽⁴⁾

10. Recycling Cooking Oil

The biggest risk of using recycled cooking oil is that it can spoil or become rancid. Moreover, reusing cooking oil regularly may alter the composition of the oil’s fat, thereby leading to atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and various liver diseases. The oil also produces free radicals, which can lead to cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.⁽⁵⁾

On a less dangerous level, you will also compromise the flavor of the foods you cook by transferring tastes and smells. While frying oil can be used more than once, there are steps that must be taken after use, like straining the oil using cheesecloth or a strainer, to ensure that there are no odd bits of food left in it that can cause the oil to go bad. How many times you reuse the oil depends on the type of oil used and how well the oil is strained. Some cooking websites say up to eight times is safe, but some health experts advise to never recycle cooking oil.

11. Cooking With Aluminum Foil

It’s always a bad idea to use aluminum foil in a microwave oven. It can damage the oven and can cause a fire. Secondly, cooking with aluminum foil on a grill or in the oven at temperatures above 400 degrees will leach aluminum into your bloodstream, especially if the food is salted or spiced.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC), the amount of aluminum that enters your body may be expelled in urine so it’s still considered safe, but for those who regularly use aluminum foil, it may be safer to use parchment paper instead.⁽⁶⁾

12. Smoking Meat and Other Food

Both liquid smoke and traditionally smoked foods carry more carcinogens (acrylamide, acrolein and nitrosamines) than meat that has not been smoked. However, liquid smoke only carries trace levels while traditionally smoked food carries higher levels of these cancer-causing chemicals. With that said, smoking food occasionally won’t harm you or guests, but it’s not a technique you want to use every time you make a roast.⁽⁷⁾

Fires are a bigger concern when it comes to smoking food, since smoking requires cooking over a fire for long periods of time. Burning wood creates creosote, which is known to cause exhaust fires because it’s combustible.⁽⁸⁾ Therefore, it’s important to use the right equipment for smoking, have a good exhaust system, use safe fire starters (not paint thinner or gasoline) and make sure the temperature is not too high. Never leave a smoker unattended for long periods of time. Some people opt to do their smoking away from the home, on an outdoor grill, to prevent disasters and house fires.

13. Pan Frying

Regular old pan frying can cause fires too, especially if left unattended. If there is smoke, that means the oil is too hot and you must turn down the heat. Oil that reaches very high temperatures can ignite into flames. If your recipe requires heating at high temperatures, make sure you are using a type of oil that can withstand high heat. Do not overcrowd the pan with too much food, which may cause oil to splatter. Always have a big enough lid nearby to stifle a fire, if one starts in the pan. Do not throw water at a pan fire. Always keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen in case.

14. Pressure Frying

The good news is that pressure frying meat in hot oil is healthier than pan frying and tastes great. However, the danger of a pressure fryer is its potential to explode! If the lid blows off, it will shoot hot steam and hot oil, which can cause serious burns.⁽⁹⁾ A defective or cheap pressure fryer can be extremely dangerous. It’s important to learn how to properly use a pressure fryer by reading the manufacturer’s instructions.

15. Using a Pressure Cooker

If you overfill a pressure cooker or its seal is broken or defective, the pressure cooker can actually explode, causing steam and oil burns. Make sure the lid and valve are on correctly and that the pressure cooker functions properly before use. Reading the manufacturer’s instructions is key.

16. Canning

Canning food can be a great way to preserve your favorites but the risk of botulism runs high. Botulism has no taste or smell but it attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. Just a small mouthful of the toxin can be deadly. It’s important to know correct canning techniques and never to eat anything you suspect may have been canned improperly. Botulism doesn’t just pass. If someone gets sick from your canned food, it is an emergency.

Pressure canning is the only technique recommended for low-acidic foods like asparagus, green beans, beets, corn, potatoes, some fruits, tomatoes, figs, milk, all meats, fish and other seafood.⁽¹⁰⁾

17. Using a Mandolin Slicer

A mandolin slicer can be dangerous if handled improperly. It’s important to lift the mandolin and never place fingers underneath it. Some mandolin slicers come with a finger guard, so use it. If yours does not have one, invest in cut-resistant gloves.

18. Fermenting

We know that some fermented foods can be a source of good microbes that can fight other microbes. While there are benefits to fermentation, pathogenic microorganisms can easily grow in fermented foods, including bacteria, fungi and toxins. Using the cleanest water possible is very important during the fermentation process.Even then, however, the risk of raw material contaminated with mycotoxins is high, even when the food is heated first. It’s important to work with raw materials that are free from contamination and to use good personal hygiene practices when fermenting food. It’s also important to know what you’re doing!⁽¹¹⁾

19. Boiling Sugar (for Baking)

Boiled sugar is called “prison napalm” because it’s easy to make and use for an assault. The reason behind this is that sugar water at boiling temperatures causes more severe burns than boiling water alone.⁽¹²⁾ With that said, your average baker may also bring sugar water to a boil prior to baking but must be extremely careful when handling the mixture. It can foam up and spill over easily and hurt you and those in the kitchen with you.

20. Using an Immersion Blender

Unlike a regular blender, which has blades that are enclosed in the container, with an immersion blender, the blades are exposed and can be dangerous. Blending in a container that's too small or not secure can also lead to potential accidents. If the food is hot, it may splash if you’re not using the blender correctly.

21. Dehydrating Food

Dehydrating raw meat and poultry is dangerous because the meat will not be heating at the right temperature and can grow heat-resistant bacteria that can cause food poisoning. These microorganisms can include Salmonella spp., Cronobacter spp., Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli and can also be present in mushrooms and other vegetables, not just meat.⁽¹³⁾

22. Torching

If you use a torch to add that crispy, burnt top to your homemade creme brulee, you know how powerful a kitchen torch can be. It can be used to brown meringues, peppers, sugar and even toast breadcrumbs. However, if you’re not careful, a kitchen torch may start a fire that quickly engulfs your kitchen and spreads.

If you torch your food, you must have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen.

Ideal Temperatures for Food Safety and Fire Prevention

To avoid getting people sick, here are the temperature standards to cook by: Turkey, chicken and other types of poultry must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165°F (74°C); Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C), while steaks and roasts must reach 120° to 160°F (71°C). For those who love their red meat rare, 120°F is the lowest you can go without compromising safety. Pork should be cooked to 14 °F (63°C), and ground pork must reach 160°F, Fish, shrimp and other shellfish need to be 145°F (63°C).

In case of a grease fire in the oven or on the stove, turn off the heat ASAP. Close the oven door or put a lid on the pot or pan with burning food. Use a fire extinguisher, and never throw water on a fire. Here’s more on fire safety inside and outside your home.